Talk about anything else: your pets, your car, movies, celebrities, or other things you like. As a reminder, political and religious discussions do not belong in here, nor any other topics that may incite a heated debate! As always keep it clean, please.
I seem to remmeber that there are some musicians in this wonderful mix---I love to play guitar---it is so great and portable, but I think what I love the most about it is the limitless kinds of music that the six-strings offer.
I just got back up to where I can sit and play for an hour or two mostly everyday---such a great tonic for my mind---it seems to silence a part of my thoughts----a part that is good to give a rest sometimes-Know what I mean?
So I am very curious at which guitar players have inspired others here--and what styles of playing too.
I love flamenco guitar----and also the ragtime playing of Blind Blake.
Django Reinhart's gypsy jazz too sets my fingers tapping---
so how bout it? Anyone a guitar-fan?
---------------- Tea-cake
Hi Tea Cake--
Glad to see you back, by the way. I hope you made some progress while away.
I found an old Eric Johnson tape (Venus Isle), and put that in the other day. I really enjoy listening to him; he combines technique, tone, and spirit in a way that moves me.
I still find Jimmy Page very inspiring, myself.
Anita
Hello All--
Just to bring it around full-circle, Jimmy Page cited Django Reinhart as one of his influences, (along with Scotty Moore, who played on Elvis Prestley recordings.)
It's a shame that mainstream music right now does not feature guitar players at all. The names we're mentioning here are all older musicians. That's partly because that's what we grew up with, but it's also because the 90s and 00s have downplayed individual guitarists. I don't listen to lots and lots of contemporary music, but what I do hear doesn't have guitar soloes at all. Jet is a modern two-guitar band, playing 60s and 70s influenced rock, and I don't think there's one actual solo on the whole CD.
I've been thinking about this for a while . . . I can't think of a guitarist from recent years that had the impact on me like a Jimmy Page. On the other hand, there have been songs from recent years with guitar work that I've been impressed with that rate up there with Jimmy Page et al. One such song is REM's "What's the Frequency Kenneth?".
I say yes to REM...when I was just leaving home back in the late 80's I remember being really inspired by the energy of Talk about the Passion and Gardening at Night. They evolved too...I'll listen closer to that guitar-part of " WHTS FRQ KNTH?"
Anita, you point out a really true thing---I wonder about right-hand technique in Rock these days--
Even straight ahead rock like the Clash had time for a solo!---though now that I think of it I can't remember if the Ramones did. Hmmmmmmmmm.
in some ways I think using a flat-pick may be a limiter that a lot of guitarists never put down.( though I've heard of people using the last three fingers to add finger-work to a pick-hand)
---I've been using a thumb-pick for years and years and I highly recommend it to try something new.
I think right- hand action is where a guitar can really be showcased.
-Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton sure aren't regarded as finger picking wizards like Chet Atkins and Roy Clark( and how bout Mearle TRavis Darlene?!?)
But they did keep their right-hand( Or I should say " plucking hand" out of respect for the likes of Mr Jimmy Hendrix!)--evolving---they used open tunings too---I love dropping to a slack tuning for part of a practice round---my favorite is open G
DGDGBD----is open G & since standard tuning is
EADGBE---only the
DG---D need to be dropped to play that old tuning.
I find open tuning really encourages finger-work( great for slide too)
Can make for cool runs and leads too. besides just adding bass-rhythm
Anyhow I think Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton in particular looked back just enough to soak in older techniques and then remembered to look forward enough to create their own sound---Carlos Santana too. Infact I won't repeat all the names mentioned---they are all accomplished players.
I bet that open tunings were way more common just 70 or so years ago and all the way back to the early versions of a guitar.
I don't know ERic Johnson, and will be looking for Venus Isle. ( can one hear that online? I've never heard music online before---I've an older machine but that would be so cool....any advice?)
TC wrote:Even straight ahead rock like the Clash had time for a solo!---though now that I think of it I can't remember if the Ramones did. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Hi Tea-cake,
I was reading an obit for Johnny Ramone (last weekend?) and I'm pretty sure there was mention of a Ramones track with a guitar solo. One of the Phil Spector (sp?) produced tracks maybe? I didn't recognise the track title, but I only ever owned The Ramones first album so that might explain why I don't recall the title.
Sadly I have no musical talent. I did once manage to get my guitar to produce something that sounded vaguely like The Clash's 'Stay Free', but that was as good as it got.
Anita wrote:It's a shame that mainstream music right now does not feature guitar players at all. The names we're mentioning here are all older musicians. That's partly because that's what we grew up with, but it's also because the 90s and 00s have downplayed individual guitarists. I don't listen to lots and lots of contemporary music, but what I do hear doesn't have guitar soloes at all. Jet is a modern two-guitar band, playing 60s and 70s influenced rock, and I don't think there's one actual solo on the whole CD.
Popular music for the younger generation is now mostly hip hop and techno. I'm sure there are some good ones, but frankly none of them really do it for me.
And the worst music out today is all this psuedo-pop, bubblegum, dance-mix-USA teenybopper crap. (OMG, now I sound just my parents 20 years ago, critiquing comtemporary music ) Anything today that can be classified as "rock" falls under the umbrella of "Alternative", meaning that any music featuring guitars is out of the mainstream.
Case & point: I LOVED Madonna's stuff back in the 80s. But her music these days just doesn't make it for me at all.
Every generation is entitled to their own preference I guess... but I for one prefer musicians or bands that know how to PLAY AN INSTRUMENT. And if that makes me an old fart in the eyes of the younger generation (I'm only 32 lol) then so be it...
I love REM!! REM always got me going back in high school and college... even their song Man On The Moon (from 1999 or so) is a great song...
And the Clash & the Ramones are untouchable classics!! And let's not forget the B-52's, especially ROck Lobster! I love it!
Even though my best friends joke around that I'm one of the "whitest" black people they've met because I like REM & the Ramones & B52's, I like what I like! Their music that makes me feel good...
Lorna you are so right about the B-52's. They belong in that group too.
Live music must have been exciting in the late 70's and early 80's . I started checking out live bands a little later in the mid-80's. Does anyone remeber Minor Threat? or how bout NYC's Fleshtones or Chesterfield Kings? alas club-rock can remain obscure but wonderful all the same.
Darlene I think you would love Mearle( Merle?) Travis's guitar work if you like Chet Atkins.
And Mandy
And How bout The Jam?---The UK always made great rock
I'm remebering too that besides Johnny Ramone dying, wasn't it just a couple of years ago that Joe Strummer passed on?----I still think the Clash was one of the greatest rock bands ever.RIP Mr Strummer.
Tea-cake
Billy Squire ranks right up there as well, along with Hendrix 
) Anything today that can be classified as "rock" falls under the umbrella of "Alternative", meaning that any music featuring guitars is out of the mainstream. 
